Evaporation cooler



May 28, 1968 Filed Oct. 28, 1966 o. J. TETERS 3,385,078

EVAPORATION COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. O V/LLE d 75 Tees,

May 28, 1968 o. J. TETERS EVAPORATION COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1966 INVENTOR. FIG. I 3. OEV/ALE C/ 757-595;

United States Patent 3,385,078 EVAPGRA'IIGN COOLER Orville .I. Teters, 411 Omaha Way, Vancouver, Wash. 98661 Filed Get. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 594,969 4 Claims. (Cl. 62-316) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE An evaporation refrigerator consisting of a vertical container having foaminous sidewalls and a foraminous hinged front door. The vertical walls and door of the container are covered with multiple layers of burlap. A water bucket is detachably-secured on the top wall of the container, the bucket being provided with a bail for suspending the entire assembly. A cup-shaped wick rests on the top rim of the bucket with its center portion depending to the bottom of the bucket and its outer wall portions depending into moisture-transmitting contact with the burlap layers on the vertical walls and door of the container.

This invention relates to an evaporation cooler, es pecially, but not exclusively, for use by outdoors men for refrigerating foods, beverages, and the like, in the field.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a generally superior, more eflicient and practical device of the kind indicated, adapted to be suspended as from a tree, or to be supported on the ground or other surface, water for the evaporation cooling being supplied from a bucket resting upon the top of the device, the device having means for holding the bucket down in place so that the bail handle of the bucket can serve both as a carrier for the device and for suspending the same from a support.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above, wherein a single one-piece hollow wick is draped over and into the bucket for transferring water from the bucket to absorbent porous material covering and extending downwardly along the sides of the device.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section, taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2, the door latch being shown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom perspective view of a removable shelf; and,

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, partly broken away and in section, showing a corner post and a shelf bracket.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated device comprises a vertically-elongated rectangular container, having a frame 18, having an imperforate bottom wall 12 having a pendant peripheral flange 14 to the outer side of which are suitably-secured, as indicated at 16', angle iron front and rear corner posts 18 and 20, respectively. Overlying the upper ends of the posts is an imperforate top wall 22 having a pendant peripheral flange 24, the flange 24 being of substantial depth so as to serve as an apron to prevent water from going under the top wall 22 from a source of water resting upon the top wall. The top wall flange 24 is suitably-secured to the outer sides of the corner posts.

The frame has an imperforate, full-length, fullwidth back wall 28, suitably-secured to the outer sides of Patented May 28, 1968 the rear corner posts 20, as shown in FIGURE 6. Screen panels 38 are secured to and extend between the front and rear corner posts and the flanges of the top and bottom walls.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the front corner posts 18 have additional inwardly-extending vertical flanges 32 spaced inwardly from the screen panels 30 which form the sides of a door opening 34. The top of the door opening is in the form of an inwardly-extending horizontal flange 36, on the lower edge of the apron flange 24 of the top wall 22, the bottom of this opening being defined by the bottom wall 12. A door 38 has an open rectangular angle iron frame having inwardly-extending vertical flanges 20 to the outer sides of which a screen panel 42 is suitablysecured. One side of the door 38 is hinged, as indicated at 44, to the related vertical flange 32 of the door opening. As shown in FIGURE 4, at the opposite side of the door opening 34, the related post has an outstanding headed detent 46, over which is engaged the hook 418 of a latch 50. The latch 50 is pivoted, as indicated at 52, on the outer or front side of a plate 54 fixed to the adjacent side member of the door frame.

At suitable vertical intervals, spaced from the top and bottom walls of the frame 10, the front and rear corner posts have inwardly-extending, fixed horizontal rectangular shelf brackets 56 upon which removable shelves 58 are adapted to be selectively placed. As shown in FIG- URE 5, the shelves 58 which are of light weight, relatively thin material, comprise fiat rectangular plates 60 having short pendant reinforcing flanges 62 extending along their edges, the flanges 62 having ends 64 which are spaced from the corners 66 of the plates '68, so that the areas at the corners of the plates can rest directly upon the shelf brackets. If desired, the shelves 58 can be stacked upon the bottom wall 12, when not in use.

The sides and the back wall of the frame 10 are covered by porous, absorbent fabric material panels 68, which are secured in place as by means of rivets 70, as shown in FIGURE 2, the rivets serving also to hold the screen panels 30 in place. The panels 68 are preferably composed of at least four layers 72 of burlap. Burlap has been found to be more eflicient for the absorption, transfer and evaporation of water. As shown in FIGURE 2, at their upper ends, the panels 68 are secured to and extend along the apron flange 24, except for the front of the flange 24.

The door 38 is covered by a similar fabric panel 76 which has an upper end portion 74 which extends freely above the door 38, as shown in FIGURE 2.

A removable water bucket 78 rests freely upon the center of the top wall 22, and has a bail handle 80 hinged, as indicated at 82, at the upper edge 84 of the bucket. The bucket is held in place by hooks 86 engaged over the upper edge 84, and pivoted, as indicated at 88, to the top wall 22 at the corners thereof. This arrangement enables use of the buckets bail handle 88 both for suspending the device, as from a tree, and for carrying the device.

A wick 90 for transferring water present in the bucket 78 to the absorbent panels 68 and 76 of the frame sides and the door 38 comprises a single, inverted cup-shaped body of two-ply burlap having a sidewall 92 and a top wall 94, the sidewall 92 having a free lower edge 96. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the wick 90 is proportioned so that when engaged over the bucket 78 the top wall 94 of the wick drapes into the bucket and rests upon the bottom wall 98 of the bucket, and the lower edge portion of the wick sidewall 92 rests against the upper parts of the absorbent side panels 68, and at the front of the device, against the apron flange 2A, with its free lower edge 96 in this area in contact with the free upper portion 74 of the door panel 76. The wick sidewall 92 is formed with vertical slits 97 extending to the lower edge of the wick, whose edges 99 are adapted to overlap each other. This arrangement facilitates reaching the bucket 78, and placement and replacement of the Wick.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the frame 10 is preferably provided with pendant corner feet 100, suitably-secured to the inner side of the pendant flange 14 of the bottom wall 12, at the corners thereof.

In use and operation, water present in the bucket 78 is absorbed by the wick 90, travels down along the wick and enters the panels 68 and 76, and travels downwardly therein. The panels being saturated with water, evaporation of the water therein ensues, aided by air movement, through the panels, so that the contents of the device are cooled and kept at a low temperature.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a frame having open sides and an imperforate top wall, said sides being covered by absorbent porous side panels, an open top water container supported upon said top wall, and a single inverted cup-shaped Wick of absorbent porous material, said wick having a top wall and a sidewall and being engaged over the container, the top wall of the wick being draped into the container and the sidewall of the wick extending down to and being in water-transfer contact with said panels, wherein said container is a bucket having an upper edge and a bottom wall, a bail handle pivoted on the upper edge of the bucket, and means removably securing the bucket in place on the top wall, whereby the bail handle of the bucket is rendered capable of use for carrying the device or for suspending the device from a support.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises hooks pivoted on the frame top wall and removably-engaged over the upper edge of the bucket.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said panels and said wick are composed of burlap.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said panels and said wick are composed of burlap in multiple juxtaposed layers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 449,992 4/ 1891 Banks 62-316 470,849 3/ 1892 Ledbetter 623 16 519,266 5/ 1894 McIlveen 62-316 623,905 4/1899 Hudgens 62316 976,446 11/1910 Dunbar 62-316 1,044,376 11/1912 Gosliner 62-316 1,551,709 9/1925 Stoll 62-315 2,059,511 11/1936 Engleman 62-316 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner. 

